PRESIDENT BUSH: It's my honor to welcome President Barzani of the
Kurdistan regional government of Iraq to the Oval Office. He's a man of
courage; he's a man who has stood up to a tyrant.

He wore this outfit because it wasn't all that long ago if he had worn this
outfit and was captured by Saddam Hussein's thugs, he would have been
killed for wearing it. He feels comfortable wearing it here because we're
a free land, and he feels comfortable wearing it in his home country
because Iraq is free.

We had a very good discussion. The President was very helpful on the
current constitution. I assured him that America will stand with the
people that desire a free and democratic Iraq. The President is -- has got a clear vision of the future of Iraq, one where different religions and
different backgrounds -- people of different religions and backgrounds can
live together in peace.

And so, Mr. President, welcome. It's an honor to have you here.

PRESIDENT BARZANI: (As translated.) Mr. President, allow me on behalf of
the people of Kurdistan and myself to thank you, very much. We in
Kurdistan, particularly, and also in Iraq, generally, we highly value the
courage and bravery of your leadership. I hope that everybody would
realize what the fact on the ground is about Iraq. It was a brave decision
that you have made -- you have liberated a people from a dictatorial regime
that has hurt a lot of the people.

At this time we express our condolences and we express our sympathy to the
families of your brave men and women in uniform, those who have sacrificed
their lives in order to make other people free and liberated. There is no
doubt that if we step back from this and not be determined, be rest assured
that the terrorists will come to the gates of you and us and they will
fight us. Therefore, we have to think about nothing else but victory.
And I'm quite confident that with your leadership, with your support and
support of the United States military and United States people, and also
the -- heroes of the people of Iraq, in general, the people of Kurdistan,
we will achieve success at the end.

For those who are anti-democratic and also those who are against the
process, they are very limited; and those who are supportive of your
leadership, supportive of democratic process, they are many, and they
highly appreciate the sacrifices that have been made by the American people
and the American army. There are also many in Iraq, in general, and also
in Kurdistan, all of them are appreciative.